Design and specification

Question 1

What goes into a specification?

Answer 1

• SoW.
• Prelims.
• Materials and Workmanship.

Question 2

What guidance do you follow for producing a specification?

Answer 2

• BS 8000.
• Design and Specification Guidance Note.

Question 3

What are the advantages of using NBS Chorus?

Answer 3

You can select the items you want and it pulls them through into a document with the detail saving you time.

Question 4

What parts did you do of the specification?

Answer 4

SoW, prelims, Materials and Workmanship.

Question 5

Would you specify fire stopping?

Answer 5

No this is done by a specialist.

Question 6

What is the advantage of taking the design to RIBA Stage 4?

Answer 6

• More control over design.
• More cost certainty.

[- Easier for contractor to price.
- Better understanding of project.]

Question 7

How did you ensure the durability of products?

Answer 7

• Specify BS.
• Guarantees [insurance backed].

Question 8

What protections were in place for the products?

Answer 8

Collateral warranties and manufacturers guarantee.

Question 9

What is a heritage statement?

Answer 9

Describes the historical significance of a building.

Question 10

Note: Design and spec - Ferry Lane.
- TDD (vendors).
- 20 metres from nearest protected staircase (should be max 18 metres).
- Proposed erecting protected corridor to reduce travel distance.

Question 11

Ferry Lane - How did erecting a wall reduce the protected stairwell route?

Answer 11

Reduced the travel distance as it created a protected corridor.

Question 12

Ferry Lane - How did you assess the level of fire protection required from the newly erected wall?

Answer 12

• AD B.
• BS 9999.
• Recommended 30 min fire rated plasterboard and fire doors.

Question 13

Ferry Lane - Take me through the full specification of the partition wall.

Answer 13

• Plasterboard 12.5mm thick.
• Mineral wool insulation.
• Fire doors 30 minute.

Question 14

Wembley Arena: You mentioned that you noted numerous items that could be upgraded to improve the building’s sustainability. Aside from LED lighting, what did you identify and recommend?

Answer 14

• Solar panels.
• Low-flow taps.
• PIRs.
  [- Energy efficient heating and cooling.]

Question 15

Wembley Arena - a) How were the works presented to your client in the PPM?
b) How were the sustainability works presented?

Answer 15

a) - Schedule [condition and year for each item].
- Report [explaining schedule].
b) Included within recommendations section of the report which summarised the schedule.

Question 16

Wembley Arena - What was your client’s key driver for the PPM requirement?

Answer 16

• Understand costs for maintaining the property.
• What years to undertake maintenance.

Question 17

Wembley Arena - How might the presentation of a PPM differ somewhat to providing your client with a vendor’s TDD?

Answer 17

• PPMs outline the maintenance over a number of years (typically 10 years).
• TDDs report on the condition of the building in its current state in terms of purchasing a building (shorter term costs).

Question 18

For D&B what RIBA Stage would you take the design to?

Answer 18

RIBA Stage 3 - Spatial Coordination.

Question 19

What’s the difference between Building Regulations and British Standards?

Answer 19

• Building Regs: minimum standards (mandatory).
• British Standards: best practice (voluntary).

Question 20

How are provisional sums dealt with post-contract?

Answer 20

• Provisional sum and works omitted.
• Contract instruction issued with defined works and cost [variation not CI if the cost differs].

[PS amount is deducted from contract sum and actual cost of instruction/variation is added]

Question 21

Can you name some headings within the prelims document?

Answer 21

• Description of Work.
• The site.
• The contract.

Question 22

When is planning permission required?

Answer 22

Not required for:
- Internal works.
- Permitted development.

• New build.
• Change of use.
• Extension.

Question 23

How long does planning permission take?

Answer 23

• Typically around 8 weeks for normal property.
• Around 12 weeks for Listed building [both LBC and normal planning considered together].

Question 24

What information is required when submitting a planning application?

Answer 24

• Site plan.
• Existing and proposed drawings.
• Application form.
  Conservation areas:
• Design and Access (D&A) statement
• Heritage statement.

Question 25

When is CDM required?

Answer 25

- On all projects. - Duties placed on contractor for domestic but still applies.

Question 26

What's the difference between a guarantee and a warranty?

Answer 26

Guarantee: - Covers product performance [typically]. - 10-30 years cover [typically]. [- Can have insurance backed guarantees which offer stronger recourse as there's a fallback route.] Warranty: - Covers workmanship [typically]. - 1-10 years cover [typically]. - Third-party protection in contracts i.e. collateral warranty. [If your roof leaks because it was installed incorrectly the warranty from the installer would cover the fix. If your roof leaks because the roofing material cracked or failed the guarantee from the manufacturer would cover the replacement material]

Question 27

What are the Approved Documents and their contents for: - Part A. - Part B. - Part C. - Part D. - Part E. - Part F. - Part G. - Part H. - Part J. - Part K. - Part L. - Part M. - Part O. - Part P. - Part S. - Part T.

Answer 27

- Part A: Structure. - Part B: Fire safety. - Part C: Site prep. - Part D: Toxic substances. - Part E: [Ear] Sound (resistance to). - Part F: [Fan] Ventilation. - Part G: [Germs] Sanitation. - Part H: Drainage. - Part J: Combustion appliances. - Part K: [Kicking K] Protection from falling. - Part L: Conservation of fuel and power. - Part M: Access to and use of buildings. - Part O: Overheating. - Part P: Electrical safety. - Part S: Electric vehicle charging. - Part T: Toilets.

Question 28

What does PAS stand for?

Answer 28

Public Available Specification.

Question 29

Note: Design and spec - Campden Hill Towers. - Project. - £150k. - Erection of a crash deck was included as performance spec. - Crash deck spec: sufficient size to prevent people being injured from falling debris, area needed to be covered. - Designs sent back as fire escape routes weren't clear [option C].

Question 30

Campden Hill Towers - Why didn't you include the crash deck design as part of the contractor's design portion in the contract?

Answer 30

- Speed [quicker to go direct to design consultant]. - Only contractor on the project was facade repair specialist [not typical contractor who builds scaffolding]. [Scaffold design consultant, third-party sign off included in spec] - Second phase was to address cladding options (overclad or replace with new) [PAYE direct appointment to CA (no principal contractor)].

Question 31

Campden Hill Towers - What design considerations did you have to make when writing the specification?

Answer 31

- Scaffolding to cover public highway. - Fire escape routes were clear. - Licences from the council to erect crash deck [done via scaffold contractor].

Question 32

Campden Hill Towers - How did you request that amendments were made to the scaffolding design?

Answer 32

- Returned Contractor's Design Document marked 'C' (resubmit with amendments made). [- Have 14 days to respond otherwise automatically marked as 'A'.]

Question 33

Are there any considerations you have to make if you're undertaking substantial repairs to a roof?

Answer 33

- If more than 50% of the roof is replaced the thermal performance must be upgraded to comply with AD L. [U-value requirements provided in AD L for pitched and flat roofs].

Question 34

Can you talk me through the RIBA Stages?

Answer 34

- 0 - Strategic Definition: Define objectives. - 1 - Preparation and Brief: Develop brief and budget. - 2 - Concept Design: Initial designs. - 3 - Spatial Coordination: Planning and regulation compliance. - 4 - Technical Design: Detailed design (spec). - 5 - Manufacturing and Construction: Works on-site. - 6 - Handover: Completion, handover docs. - 7 - In Use: Maintenance (if necessary).

Question 35

What are the British Standards for: - Specifications. - Inclusive environments. - Fire safety. - FRAEW. - Fire alarms/detection. - Scaffolding.

Answer 35

- BS 8000. - BS 8300. - BS 9999. - PAS 9980. - BS 5839. - BS EN 12811.

Question 36

Campden Hill Towers: What RIBA stage was this when you discussed crash decking with a consultant to establish the requirements?

Answer 36

RIBA stage 4: Technical Design.

Question 37

Campden Hill Towers: How did you ensure the crash deck designs were adequate - did you review these?

Answer 37

No, included in the spec that competent third-party had to sign designs off.

Question 38

Campden Hill Towers: Who would have design responsibility for the crash deck?

Answer 38

Design consultant. [Third-party's role is to check not take on responsibility for designs]

Question 39

Campden Hill Towers: Did the cladding removal require planning permission?

Answer 39

Yes, property was in a conservation area.

Question 40

When undertaking design work, how do you ensure it's compliant?

Answer 40

- AD or BS. - Get competent third-party to create spec and sign works off. - BCA to review at the end.

Question 41

Wembley Arena: What are some remediation items you identified and how did you budget?

Answer 41

- Roof leaks [liquid repair]. - Clear gutters. - WC refurb [broken toilets and sinks]. - Redecoration. [- Fluorescent lighting [defective - LEDs recommended].] - Spread the costs across the 10 year reporting period.

Question 42

Campden Hill Towers: What was included in the performance specification for the crash deck?

Answer 42

- General position [cover public highway, fire escapes kept clear, marked up drawing]. - BS EN 12811. - AD A. - CDM Regs. - WaH Regs 2005. - Had to be signed off by competent third-party.

Question 43

Campden Hill Towers: a) What process would you follow if someone got injured after erecting the crash deck? b) Who would be liable?

Answer 43

a) - Notify HSE. [- HSE investigate.] [- Prosecution or fine, enforcement notice, claim from individual injured.] - Rectify cause [if possible]. b) - Design issue: Design consultant [not wide enough]. - Crash deck construction issue: Sacffolding contractor.